It has been over a year since Michael Jackson's nephew, Jaafar Jackson, was cast to play his late uncle in a biopic of his life, and this week fans were treated to a glimpse of the performer transformed into the legend.
Jaafar, 27, looks near identical to his uncle in the photos, donning the singer's red Thriller ensemble to shoot scenes for the upcoming biopic, simply named Michael.
In the behind-the-scenes photos, Jaafar dances on stage with his hair teased into Michael's trademark curls, wearing the star's iconic outfit from the 15-minute-long music video.
© BACKGRIDJaafar, the son of Michael's brother Jermaine, who was around 13 years old when his uncle died, shared his delight at being cast in the movie, writing on Instagram in January 2023: "I'm humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael's story to life. To all the fans all over the world, I'll see you soon."
© BACKGRIDThe performer proceeded to go silent on social media until January of this year, when he shared a photo from set, writing: "The Journey Starts Monday," revealing filming of the movie, which is set to drop in 2025, is in process.
What is the Michael Jackson biopic about?
The movie is set to explore Michael's expansive career which saw him become one of the most successful artists of all time. It is being made in collaboration with the Michael Jackson Estate and will be produced by Graham King, who worked on the Oscar-winning Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
© BACKGRIDThe star-studded cast will include Kat Graham as Diana Ross, Jessica Sula as La Toya Jackson, Liv Symone as Gladys Knight, Kendrick Sampson as Quincy Jones, Miles Teller as John Branca, Colman Domingo as the family patriarch Joe Jackson.
© GettyThe movie's director Antoine Fuqua told Variety of the production: "It is incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life.
“There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera."
“It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it,” he continued – we can't wait to see more!
